


Cat and mouse

by Erik_What_The_Fuck



Category: POTO - Fandom, Phantom of the Opera
Genre: Demon AU, Enemies to Lovers, Erik realizes Daroga is cute, M/M, Slow Burn, erik is an asshole also the sky is blue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2018-12-18 10:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 3,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11872782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Erik_What_The_Fuck/pseuds/Erik_What_The_Fuck
Summary: Nadir angers the Demon of the Woods





	1. Demon

Nadir Khan pulled his car over on a backcountry road and sighed. He was out of gas, and miles away from anyone. He stared at the scene around him. Trees shivered due to the breeze and the moon illuminated the eerie scene. If he didnt know better, Nadir would be cowering inside his car, hiding from the things that go bump in the night. But he was a sensible man, and sensible men didn't believe in ghosts or demons. And so, he was able to enjoy the dark scene. And so he did, watching for a moment before closing his eyes. He was awakened by a thump. A rustle in the trees? Oh, that was the wind. Or a raccoon. He went on like this for a while, explaining his fears away. But then, yellow eyes flashed in the night. He jolted in his seat, watching where they were. But there was nothing. And there would be nothing for a very long time.

 

The sun began to rise. Nadir yawned, bleary eyed. Those golden eyes had kept him awake all night. No matter how hard he tried, he couldnt explain them away. He wanted to say it was a cat, but those eyes were so human....

No, people didn't have yellow eyes. Yes, it must be a cat. And yet...

He shook his head. Get it together Nadir. He stepped out of the car. If he remembered correctly, the nearest gas station was....that way? Yes, that way. He began to walk. He stared at the ground. His mind wandered.

"Going somewhere?" 

Nadir yelped, staring up at a tall, slender man dressed completely in black. A mask covered his face, and those eyes...

"You!" Nadir yelled, stumbling backwards. "I saw you!"

The man chuckled. "Ah, yes. Did I frighten you, Nadir? It looks like you hardly slept."

"How do you know my name?!"

The man approached Nadir, who staggered backwards.

"Get away from me!"

"Oh, please." The man said, reaching for a rope. "You spent the night in my forest. You're mine now. Don't you know about the demon of the woods?"

Nadir blinked. "That old story?"

The man nodded, tying the rope into a noose. 

"That's just a story to keep kids from running away!" Nadir glanced at the rope, suddenly pale. "....are you gonna use that on me?"

The man nodded, and nadir turned to run. A cold hand grabbed his wrist. Nadir screamed, whirling around to bite the man's hand. The man hissed and pulled away. Nadir ran, and the man let him go, smirking. The game of cat and mouse had begun.


	2. Not All Dreams

Nadir ran through the woods, batting aside branches and stumbling over tree roots. He gasped for air, but he couldn't stop. The man's voice, his eyes, they haunted him. Every shadow turned into him. He was everywhere. Hunting. Watching. Ready to kill. Ao Nadir kept running. For hour after hour.....He was ready to collapse. But soon, the forest ended. e staggered out of the woods, collapsing onto a patch of soft grass. He was easy prey now. Too weak to stand, too weak to run. He knew he had to move. But he couldn't. His body was numb and still. It would only allow him to sleep.

"Is he dead?"

Nadir heard a voice above him. A woman, he thought.

"No, he's not dead."

Now a man. Soft and kind. Nadir groaned and opened his eyes. Two friendly faces were staring at him. 

"What happened to you?" The man asked. Nadir blinked and sat up. he raised his hand. Bandages covered it.

"You were all torn up," the woman said. "It looked like you'd fought half the forest."

"Yeah, that's about what happened." Nadir grumbled. "There's a sick man in those woods! He tried to kill me!" 

The young man and woman glanced at each other.

"Did you stay the night?" The man ventured. Nadir nodded. 

"And you escaped?"

He nodded again. They stared at him for a long moment. 

"We'd better get you to safety..." the woman said. Nadir shook his head. 

"I'm not going anywhere with you people. I don't even know your names!"

"Well, I'm Christine." the woman said.

"And I'm Raoul. Now please, let's get you away from here"

 

After much coaxing, Nadir finally allowed himself to ride in Christine and Raoul's car. It was a comforting trip. The car was safe, the people seemed nice. At the very least, they were much better than the evil in the forest. They rode along to a quaint little town, and Raoul finally spoke. 

"Do you have anywhere to stay?"

Nadir shook his head. "I've never been around here before"

"You can stay with us," Christine offered.

"That would be nice, thank you." Nadir smiled. Hopefully, staying with Christine and Raoul would end his harrowing adventure.

 

Unfortunately, not all dreams can come true


	3. Music in the night

Strange music echoed from outside the window of Nadir's bedroom. He frowned, annoyed at being awoken at such an hour. But slowly, the music captivated him. He stood and walked to the window, opening it to hear better. A lone musician stood outside, playing the violin. A dark cloak and hat obscured his figure, but the music told more about him than a face ever could. It was strong, violent, unearthly. The musician strung seemingly dissonant notes together, but the melody was more beautiful than anything Nadir had heard. The man was a master of his instrument. Nadir totally immersed himself in the music. 

Then the man began to sing. There were no words, only a melody. But it eclipsed even his playing. It coaxed Nadir, called him. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the man, totally captivated. Then the spell broke. The music stopped. The man lowered his violin and stared at Nadir. He froze. Those eyes....He tried to scream, but a gloved hand cupped his mouth. It smelt of blood and sulfur. Nadir struggled, but the man held him firm. 

"Hello, mouse," the man purred. "Did you like my playing? It made you oh so easy to catch."

Nadir closed his eyes and whimpered. The man was going to kill him. He could almost feel the noose tightening around his neck. He wanted to run, to scream, to bite and kick, but he was helpless. And so he began to cry. The man chuckled

"You think I'm going to kill you now? After I had such a fun game planned? No, mouse. I'm going to keep you, _play_ with you. And then I'll kill you."

And with that, Nadir's world went black


	4. Chapter 4

Nadir awoke in a sparsely decorated room. He blinked, trying to remove the fog from his eyes. Where was he? He slid out of the bed and explored the room. It was small, with only a nightstand, a bed, and a candelabra. It seemed almost perfectly normal, except for the small pond in the corner. It was surrounded by stalagmites, and the water was clear and crisp. Nadir went over to it, drinking some to ease his parched throat. He felt the rocks around it. No, they were real. So he was in a cave. Wonderful. He stood again, walking over to one of two doors in the wall. He opened, and it revealed a bathroom. The bathroom was almost the size of the bedroom, with a stream running through it. All the necessities were provided, from soap to tweezers.   
"Seems like he's planning on keeping me a while..." Nadir muttered. Slowly, he wandered to the other door. Locked. Of course. He flopped on the bed and waited for his fate.

Nadir had fallen asleep when the door creaked open. He woke with a start, backing away from the masked intruder.   
"Calm down" the masked man said, his voice like honey. "I'm not going to hurt you just yet." Nadir stared at him, eyes wide.  
"Is that supposed to reassure me?"  
The man chuckled. "No, not really." He held out a long leather rope. "You will wear this when you leave this room. I don't trust you."  
Nadir shook his head. "Are you crazy? I'm not wearing a fucking leash!"   
Instantly, the man was on the bed, pinning Nadir down by his throat.   
"You will do as I like, monsieur. There are other ways I could restrain you, and none of them are pleasant" Nadir grimaced as the man looped the rope around his neck and pulled tight, causing Nadir to gasp. The man smirked.   
"Lovely...." He stared down at Nadir for far too long, causing Nadir to blush and turn away. Finally, the man released Nadir, vaulting off the bed.   
"Come. It is time for supper, pet."   
Nadir followed him down the halls, humiliated and confused. What is it that man wanted? Did he want to hurt him? Did he want to kill him? Or did he lust after him, want him? It was all a mystery, fueled by the mixed signals the demon was giving. He shuddered. One thing he knew for certain. He wanted it all to be over.

They sat at the table, the man still as a statue. Nadir wolfed down his food. He almost licked the plate, but stopped himself, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of the man. He pushed the empty plate forward and stared at the man.   
"What is your name?" Nadir asked, trying to break the silence.   
"Names mean nothing."  
Nadir sighed. "Just tell me."  
There was silence for several moments.  
".....Erik."  
Nadir nodded. "That's a nice name"   
"It means eternal ruler."  
Nadir sighed. "Of course it does."  
Erik stood making his way over to Nadir's chair. He smirked, putting a bony finger under Nadir's chin to make him look up.   
"And I will rule over you, pet."  
Nadir's breathed heavily, unsure if he should be terrified or..........

aroused

 

Nadir was back in his bedroom, rubbing the slightly chafed spot on his neck. The demon had been surprisingly gentle with him, only pulling on the leash occasionally. Nadir was pretty sure it was because Erik had found out it would make him moan....  
He sighed, going over to the bathroom. A bath would be nice...clear his head. He stripped down and sank into the cool water. It lapped at his skin, making a gentle rhythm. The spring water cleaned away his pain and terror, and he closed his eyes. 

"What a beautiful sight"  
Nadir's eyes flashed open, and he stared up at Erik.  
"You think you can just barge in here unannounced?!"   
"Yes"  
Nadir blinked.   
"Well...."  
"Don't worry," Erik said. "I won't do anything you don't like."   
He stepped over to Nadir and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. But Nadir pushed him away, swimming to the other side of the pool.  
"No. Just...no"  
Erik nodded and stood, walking away. Nadir watched him like hawk, waiting until he was fully out of the room. He couldn't help but feel this was all part of a game.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry about the fact that it's been forever and a day, but I haven't had any time lately. Well, let's get this party started!

Nadir sat down on his bed, shivering. That creature...that thing had tried to touch him, kiss him even. And yet, he didn't really mind that much. Nadir groaned and laid down on the bed. What was the matter with him?! He was playing the demon's game exactly how the creature wanted him to.  
Idiot idiot idiot! Nadir swore and stood, pacing around the room. He needed to get out of there.  
He began to wander around the room, this time looking for anything that could help him leave. But Erik was toomclever for that. Very well then. Nadir would just fight nim hand to hand. Satisfied with his plan, Nadir sat on the bed and waited. 

Some hours later, Erik returned, holding the rope. Nadir feigned submission, letting the creature lead him out of the room. They sat down on a worn couch, Erik grabbing a tv remote. They watched for a while, and Nadir was actually quite comfotable. He could do without the bony arm wrapped around his shoulder, though. 

"Erik?" Nadir whispered.  
"Yes, mon chatton?" the creature responded.  
"Erm, I changed my mind since this morning."  
A surprised look hit Erik's eyes.  
"Oh?"  
"yes...sir..." Nadir purred in his most seductive tone. "I do want to kiss you..."  
Nadir leaned forward, trying his hardest not to gag. Erik grinned and turned, wrapping his arms around Nadir. Yes, yes! Everything was going even better than he had planned. At this rate, Nadir would be his by next week! Erik closed his eyes, waiting for Nadir's lips on his.  
But the only thing that came was a searing pain in his forehead. Nadir had used Erik's moment of vunerability against him, slamming his forehead into the other man's the second he was vunerable. Erik groaned, the world made hazy by the pain. Curse these fragile human vessels! He shook his head, trying to will the pain away.  
When the fog finally lifted, Erik found himself alone. He grinned. Nadir was a perfect challenge. Spirited, beautiful, and now shown to be extremely clever. Erik couldn't have chosen better prey. He stood, grabbed his violin, and walked out of the cave. The hunt was on. Nadir Khan would not stand a chance.


	6. Chapter 6

Daroga crashed down on the groundcover, sobbing. Everything around him looked the same. There was no way out of this forest. He didn't even know which turns he'd taken away from the cave. He was hopelessly lost. So he curled up into a ball and cried. 

 

"We have to help him!" Christine shouted, grabbing assorted kitchen knives and stuffing them inro a bandolier. Raoul was trying to calm her down. He was also wondering where she got the bandolier from. Seriously, who sells those?  
"Christine, you need to think logically about this," he said. "You can't put yourself in danger over someone you just met."  
"I can and I will!" she shouted, pouring salt into a jar. "Especially if that someone is in the hands of the demon!"  
"That's exactly why I don't want you to go. He'll steal you away again. I can't deal with that!"  
She turned towards him, fire in her eyes.   
"Raoul, you cannot expect me to let an innocent man suffer at his hands."   
Raoul closed his eyes and sighed.   
"Nothing I say is going to change your mind, is it."  
"Nope."  
"Well then. Lead the way."

 

Nadir wiped his tears and stared down at the leaves before him. He was starving and cold. Night was falling, and animals were howling in the distance.   
In all honesty, he wanted to be in the cave. There at least he had food and a fire.   
"Erik?" he whispered meekly. Could demons hear prayers?   
Apparently so, as a tall, thin figure appeared in front of him.   
"What is it, my pet?"   
Nadir stared up at him feebly.   
"Take me back."   
A grin formed on the demon's face.  
"As you wish, pet."   
A few notes of song later, and Nadir's world went black. 

He shook his head and sat up. He was on the couch in the cave. He felt around his neck. No rope.   
The demon appeared before him. "Ah, you are awake." he purred, sliding down next to Nadir. "Erik thinks you are a fool, monsieur Khan. Pulling that trick with the kiss..." Erik held up his hand, revealing a silver knife. Nadir's eyes went wide, and he tried to get up and run. But in an instant, the demon was on top of him, pinning thim down to the couch, the knife pressed against his throat. A low chuckle came from the creature's throat as he watched Nadir squirm, his eyes wide in terror. The demon pushed harder, and Nadir gasped as a thin line was cut into his skin. Then the weight on top of him was gone. Erik stood in front of him, cleaning the knife.   
"You have been warned, monsieur Khan. Now, go to your room."   
Numbly, Nadir obeyed.


	7. Chapter 7

Nadir awoke the next morning with a shooting pain in his neck. The cut was starting to sting, and every time he moved his head it just hurt. He gave a soft whimper of pain as he sat up. He stares at the rock wall and sighed, wishing for a window. But it was no use. Wishes dont come true for Nadir khan, not anymore.

Christine gripped the steering wheel, her jaw set and a determibed look in her eye. She zoomed down the country road, going at least three times the speed limit. Raoul sat quietly in the seat next to her, picking at his fingernails. He was afraid for Christine. Shed spent months trying to get out of Erik's clutches, and now that she was finally out she was walking right back to him again. He just hoped he could get her back out, and not become prey to the demon himself.

Erik walked into Nadir's bedroom, caryibg a small tray of food. "I trust you slept well?"  
Nadir only groaned in response, taking the tray and setting it down on his lap. Erik stared at him as he ate. It was unnerving. But Nadir was hungry, and in all honesty, Erik stared at him all the time. It was like he was prey for a hungry animal. But he was in no place to protest. He finished the food, setting the tray down on the nightstand. Erik still hadnt moved.   
"What is it?" Nadir says.  
"The cut...it looks painful..."  
"It is."  
Erik nods, reaching forward. Nadir flinches away, but his neck is soon held by a bony hand. Theres a warm feeling, and Nadir closes his eyes.  
And then feels lips on his.  
Nadir jolts back, almost falling out of the bed. "What the fuck was that?!"   
Erik looks almost hurt by his reaction. "Ah...forgive me. Ill be going now." The demon exits the room, locking the door behind him. Nadir sighs and curls up in the covers, touching his neck. The cut is gone. But why? Why was Erik being kind to him now. Why did he kiss him? Did he...?   
Oh god. He did.


	8. Chapter 8

Erik paced around in the cave, cursing himself. He'd kidnapped this man, terrorized him, was going to eat his soul, and now he had to go on and kiss him?! He had to go and develop feelings for him?! Feelings of affection?! He screamed and punched the rock wall, his hand breaking and his knuckles ripping to shreds. But he didn't feel pain, and his body healed only a few moments later. He was a demon, after all. And that was the worst part of it! Demons didn't love others, only themselves. Then why was he goiung around being affectionate to this man?! Why did his heart swell whenever he saw him?! Damn it damn it DAMN IT!!!  
Oh sure, he'd tried to convince himself it was just the love a master had to a loyal pet. But Nadir was not loyal. Then he wanted to convince himself it was the love a collector felt for a brilliant piece of art. but Erik was not a collector. He finally realized that he'd grown to lust for this man. Oh yes, he could accept the lust. But he knew there was something deeper, something more beautiful and almost heavenly. He tried to bury it away, tried to pretend it didn't exist. Tried to convince himself he wanted to bed Nadir Khan and bed him alone.

And then he'd kissed him.

He'd seriously gone ahead and kissed him.

Now everything was blown. He couldn't deny the light any longer. And so he screamed and hit the wall and broke furniture, trying to will it away. 

 

Nadir sat in his room, listening to Erik scream and curse and make noises that definitely did not come from a human mouth. The demon terrified him. Terrified him with how gently he could be one moment and how vicious he could be the next. Terrified him with his hideousness. Terrified him with his complete and total lack of humanity.

And he terrified Nadir Khan because of how seductive Nadir found him. How the hands on his throat and the gentle kiss made his mind fog up. What should be repulsive was alluring him. But he would fight it. He would not let this creature touch him. Never.


End file.
